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Thursday, October 29, 2015

Make a date at the Museum

Wakefield Museums have a fun, hands on approach to learning
about the area’s heritage and everyone’s invited.

You’ll find all manner of exciting exhibitions and
experiences on offer, whether its family fun in the school holidays, messy
crafts and activities for the little ones, or artist and historian led
workshops just for the grown-ups, Wakefield Museums have it all. Meet at the
museums and fill your social calendar with some dates with a difference.

Play Date

Wakefield’s Museums are the perfect place to arrange a play
date. With lots of fun hands-on activities and opportunities to get creative
and a little bit messy, the kids will find plenty to keep them entertained. At
Castleford Museum children can dress up as a Roman soldier, follow the museum
trail, have a pretend tea party or try miner’s clogs on for size. At Wakefield
Museum try on a 1950s dress or a Victorian Wedding dress and cook up a feast in
the child sized 1950s kitchen. Pontefract Museum offers a sweet treat with a
colourful display telling the story behind the town’s historic link with liquorice.
Learn about the famous Pontefract cake and see some of the brightly colourful
packaging from across the years, see if you can spot your favourite.

Lunch Date

If you are meeting a friend for a catch up, why not have a
wander around Wakefield Museum before popping into Create café for a delicious
lunch, or a cup of coffee and a cake. At the museum you can visit the
extraordinary world of Charles Waterton, a Victorian explorer who created one
of the world’s first nature reserves. If you’re feeling brave enough, step onto
the glass floor above the giant Caiman, one of Waterton’s most fearsome finds
from South America. Uncover stories about Wakefield’s history from the early
days of the Vikings, through the hardship of war and the various industries
that have helped the city to prosper through the ages.

A date with history

Pontefract Museum has many stories waiting to be discovered.
Explore the heritage of Pontefract and the people who have lived, worked and
played there. From the turbulent history of one of the North’s most important
castles and the part it played in the British Civil Wars to the industries of
glass making, coal mining and, liquorice. At Castleford Museum learn all about
the rich and diverse history of the town which was once thought to have been an
important Roman settlement. Try your hand at an interesting craft activity or
find inspiration among some of the captivating displays. See the Ferry Fryston
Iron Age Chariot, the only complete chariot burial on display in England and
imagine what life was like in Bronze Age Castleford and how the town changed
when the Romans came to power.

Fall in love

For all you romantics, meet your true love for a date with a
difference at one of the museums. Love is definitely in the air at Wakefield
Museum, displays include wedding dresses through the ages and the Sandal Castle
posy ring. Don’t miss the rare opportunity to see the precious ring collection
on loan from the Victoria & Albert Museum until 25 June. Fall in love with
the cosy atmosphere at Pontefract Museum, the beautiful art nouveau building
built in 1904 retains many of its original features, from intricate door
handles to a stunning tiled entrance and staircase. Discover a treasure trove
of hidden gems and historic finds amid the warm welcoming atmosphere of the
museum.